I play younger players who are just much faster than me. This sucks!I read online that you can increase fast twitch muscle fibers with short intense training.How would you apply this to table tennis training?Could you use shadow swinging to increase your speed and reaction times?

As an older player you should be better at reading the game. What looks like having faster reflexes or being quicker is really better anticipation. For example if I play someone who is "orthodox" then I look pretty fast, while if I play someone who plays unorthodoxly, until I get an idea of their game I look like I am late to a lot of balls. The only difference is that my anticipation works out of the box with relatively orthodox players, but takes a while to kick in with those who are self taught or whatever.

One way would be to incorporate multi ball training into your regime. Find a pace at which you are better than 80% effective. That's your baseline. Up the pace to where you're only 50-60% effective. Practice at that pace until you're better than 80% effective. Rinse and repeat.

In my limited experience, developing better anticipation takes time. I've noticed that better anticipation only applies to players around my level and/or against people who I play a lot. Players several levels above me control me like a puppet. I am at their mercy.

Yes my anticipation sucks too!!! One guy I play a lot reads me so well. I was thinking of developing fake moves to fool him. I did find doing multi ball with a random element I really had to be more aware of the bat angle or I was lost.

Using 'material' against inexperienced players is quite effective, yes. On the other hand you must have some experience with handling it at least. Just buying some long-pips and expecting it to win the matches for you doesn't work; there's no magic snake-oil available.

That was exactly the point I made on the other thread. In fact, in that particular case, there wasn't even the possible reason we see here, no evidence that the player in question needed the "boost". Still, here at least, it's a possible thing to consider, at least, with all the caveats about learning to use it.

More important then that is anticipating....ping pong is actually very little about reaction time....it's about knowing what your opponents is going to do before they do it.

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Anticipation is a very underrated skill, so that's definitely something to work on.

The other point - if you are trying to play their game (fast exchanges), you are at disadvantage, since that's what young coached players practice all the time, and let's face it, their reflexes and muscles are most likely faster and stronger compared to yours. Getting them out of their comfort zone is something you should aim for.

Slowing down the game in general might be to your advantage (long pips are great for this, in addition to unfamiliar spin they produce), since it will throw off their timing.

I am a bit too addicted to my developing forehand and backhand loop to go to pimps. Better anticipation, better placement and my weakest element, return of serve is what I am working on. Gee I forgot footwork!!!!

As others have mentioned, learning to read the game better and learning to move well around the court (footwork drills) will have the most direct impact on your game. Just watch someone like Waldner and you'll see how powerful anticipation and reading an opponent can be.

To answer your original question directly, the best way to quickly grow your fast twitch muscle fibers is by performing resistance training and explosive plyometric exercises. This will give you access to more speed and explosive power, but you'll still need good technique to truly harness it. Check out my sig for more info.

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